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Basement smoke detector just sounded.
July 10, 2017, 04:56 PM
mark123Basement smoke detector just sounded.
The basement smoke detector beeped 9 times and went silent. The blinking light indicated it's in latching mode which means it detected alarm levels of smoke but it dropped below alarm level.
I looked around, saw nothing and smelled no smoke. It's been raining and humid but the dehumidifier had been running in the basement non-stop for days now.
This is disconcerting. What should I check?
July 10, 2017, 04:59 PM
xl_targetCould it possibly be the "low battery" alarm?
Some detectors will beep multiple times periodically, when the battery starts getting low.
July 10, 2017, 05:00 PM
Skins2881What brand is it? If it's kidde/firex call them. They will walk you through trouble shooting it.
Kidde Product Support: 1-800-880-6788
If another brand, remove detector and see if there is a support number.
It's quite possible the unit has failed. How old is it?
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis July 10, 2017, 05:01 PM
83v45magnaIt could be an old wives tale but I remember hearing recommendations to vacuum them clean and that they would give a lot of false alarms if dusty.
July 10, 2017, 06:30 PM
cgodedust and spiders can set them off. Is there any evidence of furnace problems such as soot on unit indicating a small back fire? i'm sure you've had it maintained on an annual basis as is necessary so I won't ask.
smoke detectors also don't last forever...typical life expectancy is highly variable depending on conditions but 7 years seems to be average. Look for the mfg date on the unit.
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Those who trade liberty for security have neither
July 10, 2017, 07:07 PM
cslingerLook for cobwebs. God damn bugs love my garage detector and will set it off occasionally. At least they only do so at 3am.
Vacuum it and all around it.
Chris.
Take Care, Shoot Safe,
Chris
July 10, 2017, 07:48 PM
mark123There was no evidence of dust or cobwebs but I vacuumed it. It hasn't happened again. I didn't think to check the furnace since it isn't active.
It is a First Alert SA320 that I installed in 2013.
July 10, 2017, 07:57 PM
cslingerNot out of the question that it is going bad. Cheap enough to replace. When mine have gone bad I have gotten false alarms and batteries generally only reading as good for a short time.
Take Care, Shoot Safe,
Chris
July 10, 2017, 07:59 PM
Skins2881quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
There was no evidence of dust or cobwebs but I vacuumed it. It hasn't happened again. I didn't think to check the furnace since it isn't active.
It is a First Alert SA320 that I installed in 2013.
That's a good brand and only four years old should not be having problems.
Did you install yourself, if not do you trust electrician who did it? A loose connection can cause phantom alerts or fry the circuitry.
I'd watch for next 24, if it happens again, check connections. If it happens again, try to have firstalert send replacement. When checking connections, look for paint on twisted home wiring. Crappy electricians don't wire nut the wires and paint ain't a great conductor, this can lead to premature failure.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis July 10, 2017, 08:19 PM
mark123quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
There was no evidence of dust or cobwebs but I vacuumed it. It hasn't happened again. I didn't think to check the furnace since it isn't active.
It is a First Alert SA320 that I installed in 2013.
That's a good brand and only four years old should not be having problems.
Did you install yourself, if not do you trust electrician who did it? A loose connection can cause phantom alerts or fry the circuitry.
I'd watch for next 24, if it happens again, check connections. If it happens again, try to have firstalert send replacement. When checking connections, look for paint on twisted home wiring. Crappy electricians don't wire nut the wires and paint ain't a great conductor, this can lead to premature failure.
These are battery only. No connection to utility electric.
July 10, 2017, 08:34 PM
Skins2881quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
These are battery only. No connection to utility electric.
Oh. Toss it and get new one, or if you have time call first alert and get replacement.
In the mean time. I'd swap it with whatever room you are in most. If it goes off again there confirmation it's bad, if it goes off in original location again, call FD.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis July 10, 2017, 08:55 PM
FundmanCould be caused by humidity.
July 11, 2017, 06:38 PM
ace73Keep an eye on your dehumidifier! My last 2 have been recalled for catching on fire!
July 11, 2017, 06:46 PM
bubbatimeI installed 5 first alert "10 year lithium battery only" smoke detectors about 4 years ago. None of them are still up. I had to replace all of them within 4 years. They are junk. I went back to wired with 9 volt battery backup
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July 11, 2017, 06:57 PM
Sailor1911quote:
Originally posted by ace73:
Keep an eye on your dehumidifier! My last 2 have been recalled for catching on fire!
That's a good thought. There are several dehumidifier recalls out there. IIRC correctly, if you google dehumidifier recall you can find a site to plug in your brand, model and serial number to see if yours is on the list.
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